It sounds counterintuitive, doesn't it? But a group of researchers at Stanford University modified commercial solar panels to generate energy at night. How? Through a process known as radiative cooling (when a body loses heat through thermal radiation). In this case, the Stanford researchers harness the cooling process of the solar panels after sunset to generate electricity using a thermoelectric generator that operates based on the temperature difference between the panel and the outside air—and which is also low-cost.

It generates small amounts of energy, but it is a technology that can be improved to generate up to 20 times more electricity than was obtained in the tests. This innovation can be used in low-power-density applications, such as nighttime lighting, charging devices, or powering online monitoring equipment and is particularly useful for isolated areas or remote facilities.

You can watch the video HERE